17 Reasons to Read with Our Children

1. When reading to a child, he/she becomes familiar with some of the basic conventions of books ("book facts”) such as:
- what is a title, author, word, letter?
- how to hold a book
- begin reading from the top of the page down
- read from left to right

2. Reading to our children and reading for enjoyment ourselves demonstrates the value and importance of reading.

3. Reading regularly stimulates an interest in print and develops the awareness that print is speech written down.

4. Children can pick up the idea that written language is spaced into words.

5. We can develop listening skills and powers of concentration through regular reading.

6. They may learn the joy of language and language play!

7. Illustrations of children’s books often rank with the best, giving the child a lifelong appreciation of good art.

8. Listening to stories provides children with language models that they consciously or unconsciously may begin to imitate in their own speech.  It can be a means of helping their vocabularies grow.

9. By reading to children, we can show them that books are to be enjoyed and we show them how to enjoy a book!  “A love of books needs to be caught, not taught.”

10. Children may learn to value the ideas of others and they may learn to offer opinions of their own and react to an author’s thoughts.  Books are one way of passing on our moral value to our children.

11. Sharing a story can add a new experience to a child’s life.  They have something new to talk about and think about!

12. It enables children to develop a concept of story - that is, how stories work.  This enables them to make more accurate predictions of what will happen next in the story.  It develops understanding of the nature of the thinking required to interpret a story and creates a storehouse of solid concepts about reading.

13. Reading is linked to writing skills.  The literature we read is actually a demonstration of good writing.  Children can try on other writers’ styles in the process of creating their own.  When children are surrounded with rich examples of literature, they develop a storehouse of images and story patterns to draw upon for their own expressions.

14. Reading to children is a wonderful way to help them step outside of themselves!  New worlds, real and imaginary, are met and constructed in a child’s mind!

15. Sharing a story is a way of relaxing and taking a break!  (And, for that short period of time, children stay clean and quiet!!)

16. Through regular reading to children, we may instill in them to desire to read for themselves!  Most children enter school eager to learn to read.  With such motivation, the actual task of learning to read can be a little easier.

17. And finally…The time spent sharing a book with your child can be a very valuable bond-building time (especially for parents as you can use the “lap” technique)!  This is an emotional conditioning to books.  Children may associate books with love, warmth and you!!